Pages

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Here's a guest post by Carla Reiger. She thinks leaders should have a sense of humor. I took her quiz; I could use a little help in this area. Maybe a lot of help.

The results are in! Scientific research links a pessimistic attitude towards life with one specific blood type -- B negative.

Get it? If you didn’t get it then either you have low HQ, your blood type is B negative, or you just found out you are going to be audited.

If life throws you a curve ball – what do YOU do?

Thomas Wright, a professor of organizational behavior at the University of Nevada thinks that it helps -- to laugh. He did extensive surveys showing that leaders who keep their sense of humor when unwanted change happens, do better on the job. They also get along better with clients and associates, find more creative solutions to problems, and are more productive than their more serious counterparts.

However, humor and enjoyment can only grow with the right attitudinal soil. To see how you do, check off the answer that most closely resembles you:

1. When I make a mistakea) I laugh and see what I can learn from the experienceb) I beat myself upc) I blame the government

2. When my schedule is extremely busya) I keep my nose to the grindstoneb) I occasionally take a break to relax and have func) I hire an actor who looks like me to appear at family dinners

3. When I tell a joke, people:a) laughb) groanc) report me to the harassment board

4. I forget to laugha) when I’m really busyb) when I’m at a comedy clubc) when my toast lands on the floor -- butter side down

5. I plan to reward myself with fun and relaxation:a) each dayb) only on weekends and holidaysc) when cloning becomes affordable

6. People view me:a) as a serious personb) as a light-hearted person on occasionc) as so funny I should be banned from visiting the hospital hernia unit

7. The key people in my lifea) are fun-lovingb) are happy only during happy hourc) now all have unlisted phone numbers

8. If something bad happens, like the computer goes down when I'm trying to emaila) I make a joke about it and start finding a solutionb) I tell the IT guy “ I own a gun and I’m not afraid to use it.”c) I try that olden-days method of walking down the hall and talking to the person

9. When I successfully complete a challenging work project, Ia) think of all the things I should have done differentlyb) throw my hands in the air and do the Happy Dancec) I send out a photo of myself with the subject line "The Can-Do Miracle Man Strikes Again!"

10. Making people laugha) comes easily to meb) comes easily to me only if I steal other people’s jokesc) comes easily to me, but unfortunately not on purpose

11. When I was growing up, my family:a) valued fun, laughter, humor and playb) were often afflicted with AADS (Acquired Amusement Deficiency Syndrome)c) made Spock look like a one-man carnival

12. I study the art of comedy:a) regularly – books, tapes, workshops, mentors, coaching, etc.b) occasionally when, for example, I watch a great speakerc) never – comedy is for silly people who don’t realize that life is serious – very, very serious.

Scoring1. a.3 b.2 c.1

2. a.2 b.3 c.1

3. a.3 b.2 c.1

4. a.2 b.1 c.3

5. a.3 b.2 c.1

6. a.1 b.2 c.3

7. a.3 b.2 c.1

8. a.3 b.1 c.2

9. a.1 b.2 c.3

10. a.3 b.2 c.1

11. a.3 b.2 c.1

12. a.3 b.2 c.1

Total Score = ______________

Results

If your score was 30 or more – put the whoopee cushion down! You live so much on the funny side of your brain that we might need to occasionally stimulate your “tax return” brain.

If your score was 25--29, you are grooving. You have a well-developed funny brain and a good balance of fun versus work ethic. It is normal to have some negativity – and actually is necessary as a card-carrying human.

If your score was 20-24, get thee to a funnery! Your overly grave behavior will lead you—yes, you guessed it--to an early grave. Install the latest version of Mirth Manager 4.1 right away and delete Wet Blanket 3.2 immediately. Start by creating an area of your office just for fun stuff – a humor bulletin board, comedy CD's, games, etc.

If your score was under 19, you might want to get a T-shirt that says “I am the Beacon of Doom” and look in the mirror. You need serious fun help. But don’t worry (which I know is hard for you) because there is lots of help available; call us for more ideas, or check out our web site for more articles.

Joyfully Yours,Carla Rieger

********************************************Carla Rieger is the Director of The Artistry of Change. She speaks at conventions, sales rallies and appreciation events on how to turn workplace negativity into creativity -- unlocking your genius for outstanding performance. She has written three books including The Change Artist, The Power of Laughter, Speaking on the Funny Side of the Brain, and The Heart of Presenting.

3 comments:

When my husband was a pastor and we lived in western NY near the birthplace of Lucille Ball, my husband gave a talk each year on the benefits of humor to coincide with Lucy Fest. It was always a big hit, because people enjoyed the opportunity to laugh together. I always get more done when I'm having fun, too.